May 16, 2011

100 Filipinos

Our hearts were so encouraged this weekend when around 100 Filipino volunteers from Victory Christian Fellowship came to do a fun day with  350 of our children and young people. They organised workshops in dance, crafts, music and storytelling as well as helping with feeding and medical.


What encouraged us so much was that in 3 and a half years this was the very first group of Filipino Christians to offer practical help. We were blessed as we watched that they were willing to get down in the dirt and grime alongside the team to show love and care for their fellow Pinoys.  

We are very thankful to have many wonderful volunteers come on short term mission from various country's around the world. I need to mention too that over the years we have had a few Filipino volunteers who faithfully gave of their time to help, but almost all of them were *OFWs or were born abroad. That's why Saturday was such a significant day. The 100 volunteers are all living in the Philippines! I believe it brought hope and broke a stronghold. You see many of the families living in the waste picking community  feel as though they have been forgotten about by their own country. It's not that they want a hand out. They don't think it's other Filipinos responsibility to look after them. The majority are very hard working and want more than anything to support themselves. That's why they work all hours of the day to earn about  P100 (68p) just to feed their family. They are however aware of the stigma that is attached with Tondo and sense they are looked on at times as the outcasts of the city. But on Saturday these people saw the love of Jesus reflected in the dark eyes of their own people.

I  appreciate my husbands heart more than ever. Since we came in 2007 he has been willing to labour with this community. He served them when no one else would. I hope this comes across right and doesn't sound proud.  I know 100% that its only by the grace of God that we have been called to that place. What I mean is, he has stayed through the most challanging times with these people when others gave up. He stayed and lead when it would have been totally understandable to leave.He stayed because of Christ. He stayed because he had compassion on his own people.

We have made many mistakes along the way and are still learning. But the Lord has been so lovely guiding us one day at a time. It's not about us or about anyone else who works there, but it's about Gods purpose prevailing in that place. He loves the people with an uquenchable  fiery love. He loves justice.We know this because we see the way He has continued to do miracles of provision so the ministry could continue there.

Its hard, It's humbling. but it's an honour.

I pray for a heart that would be willing to labour in love in that place until God directs our paths to something else. I'm excited that possibly for the first time other Filipinos looked past the filth and the trash and saw the beauty in Tondo. Only Jesus could take trash and turn it into treasure. He makes beautiful things out of dust- beauty out of ashes.


"To give them beauty for ashes,
the oil of joy for mourning,
the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness,
that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord
that He may be glorified.
And they shall rebuild the old ruins,
They shall raise up the former desolation's and they shall repair the ruined cities, the desolation's of many generations" Isaiah 61:3,4









*Overseas Filipino Workers

May 15, 2011

Loving 'till it hurts

I have been discovering that if you are working full time in communities of extreme poverty you have to be willing to learn one hard lesson. Ready for it?

You have to love 'till it hurts! (Sometimes it really hurts!)

You have to open your heart,  give it away to people at the risk of it getting broken to pieces. You have to be willing to give and give and expect nothing in return from the people you are trying to help.You have to make a decision to love, love more and keep loving. It's easy to "talk sacrifice" or sing something like "I surrender all"  but sometimes honestly it's very hard to do! The truth is sacrifice hurts.It's not meant to be easy otherwise it wouldn't be called sacrifice. 

But this is also truth- the more I discover the pains and burdens of mission work, the more I know the beautiful loving kindness of my Lord.  God is the strength of my heart.

If you are in ministry today and feel the heaviness of loving 'till it hurts- throw your self upon your Abba Daddy. To everything there is a season. Sometimes it's the season of overwhelming joy watching change in broken people, sometimes you will see the fruit of your labour and sometimes you won't and all you feel you get in return are problems,but don't lose heart. HE is so faithful. I love that He is the same yesterday, today and forever.

At the end of the day how could I even talk of sacrifice after everything Jesus went through for me? The burdens of ministry are nothing compared to what my Jesus endured. He removed the option to quit. He did not give up. Oh to have a heart that would remain faithful until the very end. To be determined to commit  to the call and say I will not look back. I pray by grace I will keep my eyes on Jesus, run my course and finish my race no matter what the cost. 

".. let us run with endurance  the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith...
For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your soul" Heb 12:2-3